Goodbye
by spartan585
Summary: Beast Boy is sick. What or who will he leave behind? Chapter 6 update! An old enemy resurfaces..
1. Chapter 1

"_Mr Garfield Logan?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_The doctor will see you now."_

"_Okay, cool."_

_With a quiet sigh the green-skinned young man got off the couch in the hospital's waiting room and walked towards the consultation room showed by the nurse._

"_Thank you, ma'am," said the young man quietly._

_The nurse gave an acknowledging nod before walking away._

_Looking at the door, Beast Boy took a deep breath as he turned the knob and walked in._

_It had been 1 month since he began to feel the pain. 3 days since he went for a check up at STAR Labs and only yesterday that he finally got the news._

_"__You're sick Garfield. Very sick. It had been going on since you were bitten. The fact that you changed into this, uh; 'Beast' only aggravated the sickness further. The worst part is that you started feeling pain because the disease has reached the terminal stage. Nothing short of a miracle would guarantee a cure. I'm sorry."_

_Terminal._

_And there was no cure._

_The doctor had told him that he would seem alright for the next 3 to 4 months. After that, he would get weaker and weaker as his DNA start to deteriorate._

_"__What should I do now, doc?"_

_"__My suggestion is; make everyday count. Appreciate the people whom you love more. When you…pass on, do so knowing you have done everything you can."_

_The doctor had sounded sincere as he said the words. Beast Boy had to hand it to the man. It was never easy to tell anyone that they were going to die soon.

* * *

_

Beast Boy recollected the words as he worked. Heaving a large garbage bag filled with trash, he placed it outside his room with others; 5 years of accumulated filth was no joke. Looking around his clean room, Beast Boy gave a satisfied grunt. He spent the next few minutes disposing of the garbage bags from the Tower. He was careful not to use his powers to make his job easier. The doctor had said that morphing would only serve to aggravate his condition further.

"Beast Boy has been very…subdued these past few days," said Robin one morning as the Titans minus Beast Boy sat down for breakfast.

"Yeah man, he's been locked up in his room all this time. He hasn't been like that since Terra broke his heart a second time," piped in Cyborg.

"Friends. What if friend Beast Boy has been afflicted with some malady?" offered Starfire as she put her bottle of mustard down.

"What do you think Raven?" asked Robin to the purple-haired girl who was currently reading a book.

"I don't care," said Rachel in her usual monotone. "That green Duracell bunny has been hyper and happy all his life. A few days of shutting up won't do him any harm."

"But aren't you even a little concern? This is Beast Boy we're talking about; Beast Boy does not shut up and lock himself in his room. No offense, Raven but he's behaving a little like you," said Cyborg.

"And what's wrong with behaving like me?" asked Rachel in a dangerous tone.

"N-Nothing, Raven. It's just that we all miss Beast Boy."

Rachel gave a bored sigh, "Look, if he wants to talk, he'll talk. I believe it's his right if he wants to stay in his room and mope. It's probably another of his plans to get us to pay attention to him. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go meditate."

As Rachel left the kitchen to go to her room, thoughts were racing through her mind. To be honest, she was concerned about Beast Boy and it was probably to a greater degree than the other Titans due to her empathy.

_**What is wrong with him? He doesn't even try to annoy me anymore. I know I can't really say it to his face but I really miss him. **_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the explosion of several light bulbs along the corridor, forcing Rachel to rein in her emotions as she hastened her pace towards her room.

Rachel was practically running when she finally arrived at her door. Entering her abode and slamming the door behind her, she clutched at her heart. Her thoughts concerning her green teammate was getting increasingly erratic as days go by. Rachel had a fleeting notion why; she had certain feelings for the little grass stain, feelings that she was uncertain of, feelings that she vaguely felt when she was with Malchior. Before that worm deceived her and broke her heart.

_**Could it be? Could it be that I'm feeling the same way about Garfield? But…he's Garfield for crying out loud! Loud, noisy, annoying Garfield!**_

_You know, he has matured greatly over the years don't you think?_

_Yeah! Especially his body! Who would have thought our little Beastie Boo would become a hunk!_

Rachel had to blush at that nickname. It was true; Garfield had changed the most amongst the Titans since their founding more than four years. Even though he was still an annoying prankster and his jokes were still not funny, Rachel realized that the irritating green bean had grown on her. She found that she really enjoyed the attentions he lavished on her to help her express her feelings a bit more. And that his infectious grin was something she looked forward to every single day.

More than that, he had finally learned to respect some of Rachel's need for privacy and at times, the two could even sit down together to read. Raven would read her book and Garfield, his comics or as he liked to put it; graphic novels.

It also helped that he _looked _good too; over the years, Garfield had ditched his Doom Patrol uniform in favour of an all-black short sleeved suit that really did compliments for his toned physique. He had also let his hair grow, giving it a scruffy look. In addition, his animal DNA caused his facial hair to grow a bit faster than a normal man causing an almost permanent stubble. This new looks suit well for Garfield in Raven's opinion.

_**This is just great! I'm practically swooning over him.**_

_Hee hee, I know and so are we! Isn't it great?_

Rachel gave a growl at Happy before turning her attention back to the real world. She decided that the only way to make everyone happy was to talk to her teammate and find out what is wrong with him.

Rachel was not sure why she felt the need to check her appearance at the mirror before leaving her room but she felt sure that Affection had something to do with it. As she stood outside Garfield's room, she briefly considered changing her mind.

_**No, I'm doing this for Garfield.**_

"Garfield, are you in there? It's me Raven. I need to talk to you," said the girl as she knocked on his door.

"…coming…coming…," came the changeling's muffled reply.

Rachel heard the sound of glass hitting each other before the door opened to reveal a smiling Garfield.

"Anything, Rae?" asked the young man.

"It's Raven. I'm here to ask about you, Garfield. The others and I have noticed that you spend a lot of your time in your room and we were wondering if there is anything wrong," said Rachel as fought to contain the barrage of emotions just being in his presence is affecting her.

"I'm okay Raven. Look, still alive and kicking," said the changeling as he turned into a kitten before changing back.

Although he kept a straight face, the agony he felt at doing that was not lost to Rachel's empathy. The pain was so great that the girl felt faint for a moment.

"W-What in the world was that?"

_**Oh shit! I forgot Raven can feel that. Smart move dumbass!**_

"What in the world was what?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Garfield. You should know better than to lie to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, Raven."

"Bullshit, I felt enough pain from you when you morphed to almost knock me out. That means it's even worse for you. Now, tell me what's the matter with you."

"Damn it, Rae! Leave me alone!"

Garfield's sharp tone shocked Rachel for a moment before she retorted back, "Fine! You don't want to tell me then it's just fine. I don't care! You can just go back in your room and die!"

With a swirl of black energy surrounding her, Rachel disappeared leaving the changeling.

"If only you knew how right you are Rae," whispered Garfield as tears slipped from his eyes.

Closing the door, Garfield turned to wards his bed when a searing pain coursed through his body. With a cry, the Titan collapsed onto the ground and writhe in agony. He crawled on the floor as he tried to reach his medicine bottles but was in too much pain to move. Still trembling, Garfield took out his communicator and activated the distress beacon before fading into unconsciousness.

* * *

Rachel was sobbing on her bed. She did not mean to speak so horribly to Garfield. She must have looked like a hypocrite from all the times she brushed everyone away and staying in her room all the time. Now she knew what Garfield felt every time he wanted to help her.

_**I told him to go and die! How could I say that? Garfield had never said anything like that to me but I did so without hesitation. He'd never speak to me again.**_ _**I'm a terrible person…**_

The influx of guilt washing over her brought in a new round of tears causing her to cry again when her communicator sounded. Flipping it open, Rachel's eyes widened in shock and horror; it was an emergency beacon and it was coming from Garfield. Chanting her mantra, Rachel teleported straight into his room.

She was not prepared for what she saw; Garfield was lying face down on the floor, his communicator in his hand. From his posture, it seemed that he was reaching for something. Looking around, Rachel saw the assortment of medicine bottles and syringes littering his dresser. If she was not currently having a near heart attack from seeing her beloved unconscious on the floor, she would have noticed that the room was actually clean.

"Garfield!"

Kneeling down towards her teammate, Rachel tested for a pulse; there was none.

"No! Garfield, please no. Oh god, don't die," whispered Rachel as fresh tears sprang to her eyes and cascaded down her face.

The door opened and light filled the room as the rest of the Titans barged in.

"What the…Raven, what the hell happened?" asked a thoroughly freaked out Cyborg as he began to perform CPR on his buddy.

Robin was quietly comforting a sobbing Starfire

"Raven, he's got not pulse. Teleport the three of us to the Med Bay now." said Cyborg. His face was pale as he said the words.

As the Titans raced to save their friend, Raven replayed the events that had plagued her ever since. She felt like it was her fault. Somehow she knew it was. Oh, to take it all back.

"Please don't die, Gar. I'm sorry I said those things to you. I'm sorry for being such a bitch. I take it back Gar. I take it all back. Come back, Gar. Please, come back…," whispered Raven again.

* * *

**I hope you guys like it! It's a little something that's always intrigued me; Beast Boy's disease. As far as i know, the cure that his parents gave him never did completely heal him so there you go, Sakutia rears its ugly green head again:)**

**Furthermore i intended to make this a two-shot at most. Or do you guys want a full story like 'Change' instead? Give your opinions by next week cause I'll be writing the next one by then. Thank you for reading and please review!!!**

**spartan585**


	2. Chapter 2

"Clear!"

_weeeeeeeee…_

"Damn it! Again!"

_weeeeeeeee…_

"C'mon Garfield…FIGHT! You piece of shit, you're not gonna die like this. You hear me? You're. Not. Gonna. Die. Today."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The Titans gave a collective sigh of relief as the E.K.G unit began playing the comforting beeping tone; the indication that their friend was still alive. Almost immediately, the changeling's eyes fluttered open and he let out a soft moan.

"Wha-what happened? Where am I?" asked Beast Boy softly; his tone almost to a whisper.

Rachel was at his side in a flash. Her face showed an expression of pure relief as she held his hand.

"You're in the Med Bay, Beast Boy. You…collapsed and we brought you here. How are you feeling right now?"

"Like I just died and was brought back to life."

Beast Boy had meant that remark as a joke but his smirk disappeared when he saw the glares on his friends' faces, even Starfire.

"Why're you all so mad about. What happened to me?" asked Beast Boy as he stared at them.

"You mean you don't remember?" said Robin as his glare faded.

"Remember what? The last thing I can recall is, uh…talking to Raven before everything went black."

Rachel turned her head to hide her tears as she remembered her words to Beast Boy.

"Garfield. I don't know any easier way to say this but you had been dead for 5 minutes," answered Robin as he held Starfire around her waist to comfort her.

Everyone was quiet as they waited to see Beast Boy's reaction. Sighing loudly as he slumped his shoulders, the changeling looked down.

"I guess I owe you all an explanation," said Beast Boy softly.

* * *

It was nearly an hour later when Beast Boy was finally done with his self diagnosis. During that time, the colour on the Titans' faces could be clearly seen getting paler and paler. All except for Rachelfor she had pulled down her hood; her expression betraying none.

There was a silence as everyone contemplated the dreaded word.

_Terminal._

"Gar…why didn't you tell us sooner?" croaked Robin as he raised his head to look at his green teammate.

"I didn't want you guys to worry about me, you know…,"

"What the hell did you just say? You 'don't want us to worry about you?'" Rachel's growl practically permeated the stony silence in the room making everyone turn towards her with worried looks on their face, especially Beast Boy.

"'You don't want US to worry about YOU?'" repeated Rachel, now screaming. "You're DYING Garfield! Do you have any idea what that means, you damn idiot?!"

By this time, the empath's body was trembling in her anger and immense sorrow. Objects in the medical room began to fly around.

"This isn't some long holiday, Gar. This isn't even an extended mission to Tokyo. You're going to leave _me_ forever and there's nothing any of us can do about it…AND YOU KEPT THIS NEWS FROM US FOR MONTHS?"

"Raven, please calm down," pleaded Cyborg. "What's done is done. I'm sure Gar has his reasons for not telling us but there is nothing we can do about it now. So please calm down."

Rachel was crying openly now. Her amethyst eyes shimmered with tears.

"How can I calm down, Victor? I've never been a good friend to this idiot but yet I still care about him. Damn it to hell, I am in LOVE with him for crying out loud, and now just when I'm beginning to accept it, Fate comes along to take Gar away from _me. _IT'S NOT FAIR!" screamed Rachel as a portion of the wall was blown away.

The Titans tried to take cover; Robin was shielding Starfire with his cape while Cyborg was trying to crawl towards Rachel but his big size meant that he kept getting hit by the objects animated by Raven's powers.

Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Beast Boy tore the electrodes from his body and got up. Gathering as much strength as he could he morphed into a fly and buzzed towards Rachel before changing back and enveloping her in a hug.

"Snap out of it, Rae. Please," whispered the changeling to the distraught empath, gritting his teeth in pain as he did so. The greater the difference in mass between the animal he changed into and his own body, the more intense was the pain burning through his already frail body.

"It's not fair. It's just not fair. Not fair at all," whispered Rachel as she continued to cry on his shoulder. Nonetheless she still managed to calm down and pretty soon, gravity began to function as normal once more.

Sensing that Rachel had finally returned back to normal, Beast Boy pulled away.

"You okay, Rae?" asked Beast Boy kindly.

"You know that I'll never be, Gar," said Rachel as her eyes still brimmed with tears.

Beast Boy could only offer a sad smile.

"Just…try…'kay, Rae. For me," whispered the changeling as he collapsed once again, this time in Rachel's arms.

* * *

**Well chap 2 is up. sorry if its a bit short but i intend for it to be that way actually. good news is i've decided to make this longer than a two-shot. sooo look out for more kay?**

**until the next update!**

**spartan 585  
**

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

Things were never the same again ever since Beast Boy's confession. The Tower which had once been a place full of life and laughter had deteriorated into a shell of its former self. Robin had even considered retiring the Titans and allowing other heroes to take their place as protectors of Jump City so as to allow more time for them to take care of their ailing friend. It was only due to Beast Boy's outright refusal that the idea was eventually abandoned.

Beast Boy became a dynamo of activity. He viewed the current situation as a problem he had caused and was determined not to let the Titans fail.

* * *

"Gar…? Why are you still awake?" asked Rachel sleepily as she looked up from her bed to see her boyfriend on the floor, busy with crunches. The two had become a couple after Rachel's unintended confession and despite initial reluctance to embark on a relationship, Garfield finally relented; it was not as if the feeling was unrequited after all.

The changeling let out a distracted snort as a reply as he continued his workout. Sweat covered every inch of exposed skin.

Sighing, the violet-haired girl got off from the bed and approached him, putting a hand on his shoulder as he raised his body off the ground making him stop.

"Gar, please...I don't ever want to see you get hurt," pleaded Rachel as she kneeled down beside him.

"I may be sick Rae; but I ain't weak. The disease only affects my ability to morph that's all. Other than that I'm perfectly fine," protested the young man.

"You don't know that Garfield. By Azar, you collapsed in front of me just yesterday after a 30 minute jog on the treadmill! Do you know how much that scared me, Garfield? Do you?"

By now the empath was sobbing quietly as Beast Boy held her in his arms.

"Its bad enough that you're…sick, Gar. I won't ever rest until the doctors or Cyborg manage to find a cure. Any cure. I'm not giving you up without a fight, you hear me?"

The changeling sighed as he leaned back against the bed post, still holding his girlfriend.

"Alright Rae, I'll stop. Besides, a desk job doesn't really need that much physical work right?" whispered Garfield as he tried to lighten the mood.

Rachel smiled back at her man and placed her hand on his cheek.

"You're still important to the team, Gar. And to me, you are the world. Don't you ever forget that…"

"I won't Rachel. Even if I wanted to. Which I definitely don't," replied the changeling as he kissed her on her forehead.

"You always know how to ruin a moment don't you?" muttered the empath as she rolled her eyes and lightly smacked Garfield on his arm.

"Of course, Rae. I always try to remain the Garfield we all know and love," whispered the young man as he began to close his eyes and held Rachel just a little bit tighter.

_**And may you never change Garfield, my love.**_ Thought Raven as she snuggled herself closer to him; Closing her own eyes as she did so.

Very soon, the room became silent save for the sound of faint snoring emanating from the couple as they slept on the carpeted floor, pure bliss in their peaceful features as they lay in each other's arms.

* * *

_Sunlight seeped through the window and shone directly onto Rachel's closed eyes; rousing her from her slumber. Grunting a little in annoyance, she felt around for her boyfriend, struggling to open her wearied eyes as she did so._

_"Gar…?" whispered Rachel as she groped about._

_Opening her eyes, she winced as the bright morning light dazzled her for a moment. Rubbing them gently, Rachel looked around her; she was on her bed instead of the floor._

_**Gar must have awakened in the middle of the night**. The empath thought fondly as she smiled to herself._

_It was then that she heard the unmistakable sound of the shower running in the bathroom. Feeling a bit naughty, Rachel gave an evil smirk as she glided towards the bathroom. Placing her hand onto the door knob, she gave it a twist. The door opened. Garfield must have thought her still asleep._

_**His mistake. My prize.**_

_Creeping in, Rachel's smirk grew wider into a grin as she approached the shower curtain. She was just about to pull it open when a strange odour wafted through her nose. Frowning, she tried to discern the smell. It was very familiar but she could not put her finger on it; the smell had a metallic tinge to it and was pungent at the same time. It smelled almost like…_

_**Blood…**_

_**Oh, Azar...  
**_

_"Garfield!" yelled Rachel as she practically tore the shower curtain from the railings._

_Looking down in horror, the empath beheld her beloved lying belly down sprawled on the bathroom floor. His eyes were closed. His green hair was matted to his scalp, wet from the torrent of water coming from the unattended shower._

_And blood trickled from his mouth, forming a cloudy red path towards the gully trap._

_"No…," whimpered Rachel, tears in her eyes as she knelt down, cradling Garfield's head in her arms. Grief wrecked through her entire being as she rocked back and forth holding her love in her arms. His body was cold despite the warm shower water. _

_So cold.  
_

_"Wake up, Garfield…wake up…I-I'll do anything…anything if you'd just wake up, Gar…please...please…just wake up...please..."_

_Rachel begged. She pleaded. When that did not seem to work, she cursed and threatened even though none of the words used really came from the heart. But none of it could ever bring her Garfield back.  
_

_Filled with nothing but despair, the brokenhearted girl lost all sense of time and reason as she rocked back and forth cradling her love in her arms._

_"Wake up, Gar…wake up……

* * *

_

"Rae! Wake up, Rae."

Rachel scarcely heard the sound of Garfield's voice as she was roused from her nightmare. Opening her tear-rimmed eyes slowly, the blurred image of her love gradually came into focus; very much alive.

"G-Gar…?"

The empath's hesitation was evident in her voice as if she was scared that the man before her was but an illusion fragile enough to be blown away by words alone.

"I'm right here Rachel. Everything's alright…," whispered the changeling as he kissed her forehead.

"Gar…?"

"You had a nightmare. But it's over now. I hope," soothed Garfield as he stroked his girlfriend's soft, violet hair.

"It was horrible, Gar. I saw you…you were…you were…"

Words failed her as she began sobbing again in his arms. Garfield sighed; it was always the same. Her nightmares always ended with him dying or dead.

And consoling was a bit challenging considering that the truth of the matter was not too far off.

"Rachel, look at me," said the young man gently.

The empath sniffed a bit as she shook her head.

"Rachel. Please."

Relenting, Rachel raised her head to look at Garfield; her amethyst eyes glittering in the moonlight with unshed tears.

"I may not…be around for long but I promise you this; I am never going to give up on life. On you."

"Oh, Gar…"

"…and whatever happens, Rae, remember that I love you. I love you with all my heart. Always have. Always will."

The violet-haired girl ceased her sobbing for a moment. Giving a sad smile, she placed a quivering hand onto his cheek and caressed it lovingly.

"I'm sorry…," whispered Rachel as a tear streaked down her cheek.

"For what?"

"For being such a burden. You don't need this right now. I-…"

Her words were cut off as Garfield planted a kiss on her lips. Breaking apart after a few seconds, the changeling smiled as he placed his forehead onto hers.

"You have nothing to feel sorry about, Rae. Being with you was the smartest thing I ever did in my entire life. It still is."

Rachel smirked in spite of herself.

"You're a smooth talker, you know that?"

Grinning back, the changeling answered, "Of course, Rae. You did fall for me after all."

Giggling softly, the empath wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck and pulled herself such that their noses were touching.

"That I did, Gar. Now shut up and kiss me again," whispered Rachel.

"Yes ma'am," whispered Garfield back as he slowly kissed her again.

* * *

**Chapter 3! Wow, i miss u guys and i miss writing fanfics. sure beats all those essays they make me do every week. i have a recess week now so what better way than to catch up with old friends:)**

**I hope this piece isn't too shabby. i apologize if its too much fluff or too little. im experimenting really on how to make scenes like these more emotional and sincere and i hope that this is a good attempt in capturing the overall mood of the story. any suggestions and helpful tips is warmly welcomed and appreciated.**

**all in all, thank you all for reading this. until the next update!!**

**-spartan585**


	4. Chapter 4

Rachel had been sitting beside the infirmary bed since the incident, her posture as rigid as a statue. The only signs that indicated that she was, in fact, a living person were the sorrowful sighs she breathed out once in awhile and the way her slender arms reached out so that she could grasp Garfield's limp hand where it laid beside his immaculate self

Victor gave a grunt as he tore his gaze away from the heartbreaking scene he was seeing through the infirmary window. At times like these, he wished that he still had his limbs; the ones he was born with so that he could give Rachel and Garfield a hug; a real hug where he could feel the warmth of their bodies through his arms and they could feel his. The warmth so desperately needed by his two closest friends and the comfort it brought.

"Vic?"

The sound of Richard's voice melted through the silence as he exited the infirmary with Kori. The augmented young man noted with silent sadness how his other female friend was walking instead of gliding. Indeed, the situation had been trying for everyone and in many ways but for Starfire, it was like a death-knell.

"Yeah, Rob?" asked Victor hesitantly as he returned his gaze towards the previous couple.

"Kori and I…we went to STAR Labs and they gave us something to help Gar."

Victor turned a hopeful gaze towards Robin but it was met with a look of an uncharacteristically lack of confidence on the leader's part.

"They made it clear…it isn't a cure. Just another relief serum with a higher dosage…"

"Damn it!"

Victor's outburst startled no one; not even Kori. They were used to it. The scientists at STAR Labs were the best in what they did but even then, they were only human. Gar was not. Gar was something more. In body and in spirit, he was something that escaped the understanding of his doctors. Day after day. Week after week. All anybody could do was to relieve the pain and to stall the virus plaguing the Titan's being. It was like challenging the inevitable yet the Titans were adamant that they struggle on. A cure WILL be found. Garfield was worth the effort.

No matter what.

"I'm not liking it either, Vic, but we gotta stay strong…at least for Rae," said Richard quietly.

"I know, Rob. It's just that…I can't stand seeing them like this and not being able to do shit."

The Titan sighed.

"We all feel the same way, man. It's just…if you need someone to talk to; me and Kori are always around 'kay?" offered the young man kindly. Beside him, Kori stepped forward.

"Richard is right, dear friend. We will spare every effort in ensuring that all of us will endure through this together. I only wish that we could do more…," added Kori as she switched her gaze towards the viewing panel.

"Thank you Rob…Kori. That is very kind of you," said Victor sincerely as he struggled to maintain a wavering smile on his lips. "I guess I'd better give the grass stain his meds, huh?"

Richard smiled behind his mask.

"Yeah you do that. Kori and I will be taking a short rest before we head off to Gotham City to meet Bruce."

The half-metal man gave a surprised snort.

"Again? I swear Mister Wayne is spending more on Garfield's treatment than all his bat stuff combined."

"Bruce considers me his son, Vic," replied Richard with a light chuckle. "And the Titans as my family. That makes Garfield his family too, so that means he's sparing no expense."

Victor nodded.

"Tell him, all of us here appreciate all that he has done, Rob."

"I sure will…well then, gotta go."

"We will meet you later, friend Victor. Farewell, for now."

"See ya later too, Kori."

After the two left, the man resumed his gaze at his other two close friends inside the infirmary. Rachel had shifted but only a little; a head was now laid on top of Garfield's chest as she slept. Victor cringed as he tried to imagine the agony of having to see a loved one endure so much pain but unable to express the necessary emotion to comfort the person besides small and seemingly insignificant gestures.

He couldn't imagine.

Taking a deep breath, Victor opened the door of the infirmary. The action quickly roused Rachel from her snooze; her eyes snapped open and her senses becoming alert.

"Victor?"

"One and only, Raven. You look hungry, why don't you go grab some food or tea. I can keep an eye on Gar while you're away," offered the Titan.

The pale-skinned girl blinked before letting out a resigned sigh. Nodding an affirmation she looked back at her unconscious beau, stroking his green hair lovingly.

"I'm gonna go off for awhile, Gar, but I'll be back real soon. Be safe, okay?" said the empath before placing a soft kiss on the changeling's lips.

Rachel slowly got up from the chair she had been sitting on for the last few hours, stretching quietly as she did so. Turning to stare at her cybernetic friend, she caught sight of the small bottle in his hand.

"Is that what I think it is?" asked the girl hopefully.

Her friend shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, Raven."

Rachel was silent for a moment.

"I understand…take good care of him, Vic."

The resignation in her voice was enough to break Victor's heart

"You know I will."

Taking one last look at Garfield, Rachel left the room, giving Victor an affectionate pat on the shoulder as she passed him by.

**_She's too exhausted even to teleport to the kitchen._** Noted the cyborg.

Sighing loudly, Victor began to hook up the medication to the I.V. drip connected to Garfield. Browsing through the medical equipment monitoring the stricken Titan to make sure everything was still up and proper; the older man took a seat beside his friend.

"You shouldn't even have been there you stubborn jackass…," muttered Victor covering his face with his hands. Remembering the events that had led to the changeling back into the infirmary, Victor wept quietly.

* * *

"_Oof!"_

_Victor let out a wheeze as he received yet another punch from a rampaging Cinderblock. The blow knocked him straight through a brick wall. Rubbing his sore back, the cyborg assessed the situation to find and exploit any advantage over the villain._

"_Things ain't looking good, Rob," yelled Victor as he charged his sonic cannon._

"_I'm aware, Cy!" yelled back the leader as he dodged a large piece of debris thrown in his direction. "Titans! Drive him into that open lot. He can't escape and he can't use anything to fight with!"_

_The Titans fought with renewed ferocity, surrounding Cinderblock and forcing him into open space. For a moment, it seemed as though victory was within their grasp but it Robin had forgotten one crucial aspect of fighting a battle; to always give the enemy the impression that he could still escape or he would fight with the vigour of desperate men._

_True enough; desperate and frustrated, the stone giant began to fight back in a more bestial manner. Its movements overtaken by instincts alone._

"_Robin, Cinderblock is getting too agitated to be affected by my starbolts," said Starfire as she dodged and weaved about the giant's flailing limbs while blasting at his joints._

_Blasting his enemy repeatedly with his cannon, Victor watched the battle unfolding around him._

"_Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos."_

_Flying overhead, Raven released tendrils of black magic that bound themselves to Cindrblock's limbs. The villain let out a roar as he tried to free himself. It was not long before Raven began to weaken from the strain._

"_Anytime right now to finish him is just fine, you guys," said the empath with gritted teeth._

"_Titans! Go!" ordered Robin as he surged forward with some freeze discs in his hand. He intended to relieve some pressure of Raven by immobilising Cinderblock in a layer of ice. Unfortunately, the flailing giant managed to knock the projectiles away before they could do any damage._

_And coincidently hitting all the Titans save Raven._

_One by one, the Titans fell to the ground in a heap, each one encased in ice. Victor managed to free his head by melting the ice with a built-in laser in his eye. Thus, that made him the only spectator of what was to follow._

_Rachel was already exhausted by the time calamity struck. Now alone and with no one else for Cinderblock to direct his fury at, Rachel was pushed to the breaking point. With a mighty roar, Cinderblock tore loose from his bonds bringing the empath to the ground. Hard. Too exhausted to even get up, Rachel weakly conjured up spells to slow the villain down as it charged towards her._

_Victor could only watch helplessly as he saw his little sister about to be pummeled to death by the raging behemoth._

"_RAVEN!" shouted Victor with tears in his eye. _

_Rachel laid on the ground, frozen with fear as she could only watch the rampaging stone villain charge towards her in beserk fury._

_Until a blur of green-coloured movement and Cinderblock literally flying in the opposite direction into a row of empty cars. _

_The Beast crouched protectively over Rachel as it roared at Cinderblock. Changing back to Garfield, the cyborg saw his friend kneeling down to tend to his girlfriend. They shared a brief hug before a recovered Cinderblock demanded the changeling's immediate attention. Morphing back into the Beast, Garfield roared in pain and in anger as he leapt forward to challenge Cinderblock._

* * *

"He'll be alright, Vic. I know he will."

Victor turned towards the voice to see Rachel standing at the infirmary entrance. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying so much and her body looked emaciated from worry and exhaustion.

The older Titan could only watch her sadly.

"He'll be fine by next morning, you'll see. All he needs is rest. Just rest. That's all he needs," said Rachel with a cracking voice.

"Rae…"

**_You have been saying that everyday for the last three days, Rae._**

"…And he'll be up cracking his stupid jokes…and making that awful…tofu of his just like he always does. And everything will be alright."

By now, Rachel had resumed her crying as she collapsed onto the floor. Getting up from his chair, Victor rushed to pick her up and placed her on his seat. Giving his sister a hug, the man tried to soothe the young woman before she accidently breaks any medical equipment keeping the changeling alive.

"Raven, Garfield needs you to be strong. He needs all of us to be strong. He would not have wanted you to be like this wouldn't he?" asked Victor.

Rachel nodded in reply.

"Good. Now let's get you cleaned up and looking all pretty. That'll give the grass stain such a damn good reason to stay awake he'll never want to be in a coma ever again," said the man again with a grin as he tried to enliven the sombre mood pervading the room.

Rachel looked up at Victor and managed a small smile before letting herself be helped out. The two Titans spared one more glace at Garfield before leaving the infirmary. The comatose Titan lay on his bed, just as still and silent as he was since he first arrived.

* * *

"_Talk to me, Robin," said Garfield worriedly as he witnessed the ongoing battle with Cinderblock._

"_Things ain't looking so good, Beast Boy. Cinderblock has gotten smarter and stronger since our last fight. He's holding the four of us at bay longer than I like."_

"_Any weaknesses so far?"  
_

"_None that we can see…sorry."_

"_Any serious injuries from you guys? Um, is Raven alright?"_

_Garfield heard Richard let out an exasperated sigh._

"_Beast Boy now is not the time but yeah, she's fine and so is everybody else."_

"_Hehe. Sorry about that."_

"_It's okay Beast Boy…HEADS UP RAVEN!"_

"_What was that? What happened?"_

"_Rae's got a near miss from a flying Chevvie, that's what," replied Richard. The sound of twisting metal and exploding objects dominated the background._

_Then lowering his voice a little so that nobody else but Garfield can hear him, the leader spoke, "Listen Gar, I know Raven's your girlfriend and all. Heck I'd probably do the same if I were you but you gotta focus on your job, man. You're our intel and we need your help to bring down Cinderblock. Don't worry about Raven so much. You know us Titans look out for one another, right?"_

Garfield nodded sheepishly.

"_You're right, Robin. I'm sorry."_

"_It's alright, man."_

"_Thanks…hey you guys are fighting at the outskirts, right?"_

"_Yeah. Why?"_

"_There's an open lot nearby. Just wasting space as much as I can see. Drive Cinderblock there; with open space all around him, he's got no cover and neither can he use anything to help him fight."_

"_That's not a bad idea, Beast Boy."_

_Garfield heard Victor's voice in the background as he shouted something at Richard. The leader shouted back._

"_I'm aware, Cy…Beast Boy, I'm going through with your plan. Things are gonna get hot for awhile."_

_The changeling was just about to say something when his friend seemingly read his mind._

"_And don't worry about Raven."_

"_Thanks, Rob. Go kick his ass."_

"_Will do, bud. Robin out."_

* * *

Garfield knew what was going to happen next. He did not need any reminiscing for that one but it still hurt even to think about it; how everything went from bad to worse, the entire team incapacitated; Rachel on the ground, helpless against the rampaging monster.

And the pain.

The excruciating pain of turning into the Beast once again.

If Garfield could scream, he would. All he could do was scream in his mind before drifting off in exhaustion…

* * *

"Oh, thank god. Thank god…"

Victor's deep voice was the first thing Garfield heard when he regained self-awareness. Nevertheless, he was still in his comatose state. He could also hear the heart-wrenching sobs of a woman beside him.

_**What happened while I was out?**_

He heard Victor speak again.

"He's stable now, Rae but I'll just hook him to my system while I go recharge…talk to him. Give him a reason to keep fighting."

**_Stable? I thought I was just sleeping._**

Garfield heard the infirmary door close shut. There was a moments silence that lingered uncomfortably until it was finally broken.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS, GAR?" shouted Rachel as beat her fist onto the bed. Even in her distraught state, she still had the presence of mind to resist the urge to smack the changeling silly for doing something as stupid as being…

"DEAD! You were dead for 10 minutes, Gar. Why did you do it? Why?"

The empathy was sobbing pitifully as she struggled to control her emotions. So far, nothing important had been broken. The infirmary needed a new door, however.

Caressing his hair, Rachel sniffed.

"Gar, I know time is short and attempts at getting a cure for you are getting nowhere. But please; please don't give up. For me. I love you, Garfield Logan. I love you with all my heart and even now, I can't imagine carrying on without you by my side like you always have. You have been my rock, my anchor, my compass when all seems lost. Please don't leave me..."

Rachel let out a giggle but there was not a hint of humour in her voice.

"It sounds all too corny, I know. But that's what you are and what you have done for me. Because of you, I feel like I'm never alone and for that I'll be eternally grateful to you, Garfield my love."

**_You have nothing to be grateful about, Rae. What I did is straight from my heart and it doesn't need any repayment. I only wish I can open my eyes, Rae..._**

Rachel looked on as tears streamed down Garfield Logan/s face; a sign that he was alive and responding in the most sincere way that he could. Smiling softly, the empath kissed them away before kissing her man on his mouth.

"You're not alone, Gar. I'll always be beside you."

Carefully laying her head on his chest, Rachel faced away from Garfield's face thus she did not see what was to come; Garfield opened his eyes.

"Rae…?"

* * *

**Chapter 4!**

**this story is proving harder to write den 'change'. not dat im losing faith of course but more on the fact that much more emotion is being used in this story. so i have to be careful not to sound too sappy yet still maintain the sincerity in the characters as they react to the situation.**

**all in all i hope u guys like dis update. give me plenty of advice kay? ill do my best to improve the quality of my work for u guys to enjoy. oh and happy holidays!!!:)**

**-spartan585**


	5. Chapter 5

"I hate this," growled Garfield catching the mauve-coloured sweater that his purple-haired girlfriend had thrown at him. Grasping the garment in his hands, the changeling glared at it in disgust.

"Oh, stop being a baby, Gar," admonished the young lady as she proceeded to pack the small bag containing the young man's many different types of medication prescribed by STAR Labs. If Garfield looked closely, he would have noticed her cringing with every bottle she touched.

"But Rae, it itches," whined the changeling as he looked at her pleadingly.

"It's a balmy 55 degrees outside. Put the sweater on," said Rachel. This time her voice had shifted to her classic monotone which Garfield knew better then to disobey.

Pouting, the young man gave a sigh.

"I still think it itches," he muttered as he began to put on the sweater.

"So, what are we gonna do today, Rae?"

The empath looked thoughtfully at her boyfriend before resuming her attention on the packing.

"I think other then replenishing the meds, Dr Sherry will be discussing about your diet."

"Um…hmm…," came the muffled reply.

"It's just checking whether you've been eating healthily but with the vegetarian food you eat, i guess it shouldn't take too long. Unless something important comes up; like a new type of medication, updates on Sakutia, hopefully a cure…," rambled Rachel. Her tone of voice became noticeably softer as she said the last few words but it was not lost to the changeling's acute sense of hearing.

Pausing to face Rachel despite the sweater comically still covering his entire head, Garfield tried to cheer his girlfriend up.

"Don't fret, Rae. I'm sure it won't be long now," said the young man kindly before resuming his endeavour with a fresh round of grunts.

The empath smiled at his spirit as she turned her attention towards the mirror on her dresser. Smoothing her shoulder-length hair, Rachel briefly considered a small makeover to surprise Garfield. Maybe at a bit more makeup or stuff like that. Immediately she mentally laughed at herself for even contemplating a notion so uncharacteristic of her. The things she did for her love. It was downright preposterous at times.

"Gar?"

"Mhmm…?"

"I love you."

"Ditto, baby."

Rolling her eyes, Rachel conjured a bit of black magic to smack her boyfriend at the back of his head. The light blow managed to disorient the young man as he stumbled about with his head still covered by the sweater.

"Ow! Rae…?" whined the changeling childishly.

"It's either Raven, Rachel or Rae, Gar," said the sorceress stoically. "Not 'baby' or 'babe' and most definitely not 'Honey-buns' for that matter."

She heard her Garfield sigh. Smirking to herself, Rachel could imagine him pouting beneath the sweater. As she was putting yet another bottle of medicine into the bag, she heard the rustling of cloth right beside her ear.

"Aw, you know you like it, Rae…," whispered the mauve-coloured sweater huskily.

_**Great, I'm being hit on by a talking sweater.**_

"Not working, Gar," said the empath as she continued with her task. Not looking at her boyfriend.

There was slight rustle as the sweater rethought another strategy. Then a sound of a throat clearing itself and another husky voice beside her ear.

"Rae...this sweater's making me so hot but it ain't nothing compared to what you're making feel right now…"

The empath had to roll her eyes at that.

"Nice try but…nope."

Still, a smile began to appear on her lips.

"Um, okay uh; I'm seeing all purple now, baby. Is it me or have I just finally gotten lost in your beautiful eyes?"

Rachel tried to hold back her laughter but a squeak managed to escape causing the blinds on the windows to fall noisily onto the floor. A brief silence followed until the sweater-covered changeling chuckled.

"Well, not the reaction I was hoping for but hey, I ain't complaining."

Twisting her body around to face her boyfriend, Rachel caressed his face affectionately.

"You're perfect just the way you are, Garfield. Leave the one-liners to Dick, okay? That's the only thing he has to flirt with Kori with," said Rachel giggling.

The young man smirked at that. Then the two became silent before Rachel spoke again.

"I love you, Garfield."

"I love you too, Rae."

The moment would have been more romantic if the sweater was not still covering Garfield's head.

"Are you finally going to finish putting on that sweater?"

"Heh, not ever if I could sweet-talk you forever like this."

SMACK!

"Ow!"

"Not funny, Gar."

"Fine, fine…," complained the young man before resuming his struggle.

As Rachel watched her boyfriend's obvious attempt at humour, a lingering feeling of sorrow permeated through her heart. The inescapable fact remained that until a cure is found, every second that passed by was a second closer to Garfield's demise. If that happened...she could not even imagine what would become of her to suddenly live life without the green changeling by her side.

"Well, Dr Sherry was showing an unusual amount of emotion when she talked through the phone this morning," said Rachel absent-mindedly eager to distract herself.

"Could it mean…"

"I dare not be too optimistic, Gar," cut in the empath. "Of course I'd want nothing more then to hear that but…we have to be prepared for anything."

"I understand, Rae."

"Thank you, Gar."

"You know Dr Sherry, she's probably happy to see you."

"Yeah, because I'm such a ray of sunshine."

_**Oh Azar, putting on that sweater can't be that hard can it?**_

"You know it, sweetie."

"What did I say about nick names?"

"You didn't say about this one…sweetie-buns!" said Garfield before delivering a playful smack on his girlfriend's bottom.

Rachel squeaked in barely surpressed shock and outrage causing as the mirror in the bathroom cracked down the middle. Rubbing her rear, she gave her boyfriend the coldest glre she could muster at the moment.

"Gar, if I didn't love you so much I'd kill you for touching my ass."

"Sorry, Rae. I just got carried away. I won't do it again."

The young man was clearly remorseful and the empath detected a tinge of regret emanating from her beau. Rachel began to feel bad. It was not as if he had meant any ill-will towards her or anything. Besides, the display of mischief was becoming a rarity in light of Garfield's forced serious demeanour brought on by his illness and any chance there was to retrieve the old changeling that she fell in love with was not going to be wasted.

"Why not?"

"Huh?"

"Why won't you, uh, do it again?" asked Rachel hesitantly. Her boyfriend was surprised by the question. Garfield wondered if this was some sort of test.

"Uh, cuz you'd kill me?"

"I never meant any of it, Gar, you should know that," soothed Rachel as she smiled. Turning away from him, she whispered to herself, "Besides, uh, I never said I, um, didn't, uh, like it a bit…"

"What did you say?" asked Garfield with wide eyes and an even wider grin which grew impossibly bigger upon seeing the blush appearing on his girlfriend's cheek.

_**Damn, Gar and his hearing!**_

"N-nothing, okay? Just drop it!" insisted Rachel, her face reddening further. At times like these, she cursed her pale complexion which made the blush all the more noticeable. Unfortunately, her boyfriend was persistent.

"Nah-uh! I believe you were confessing something, weren't you."

"No I wasn't."

"Yes, you were."

"Was not."

"Was to."

"Gar."

"Rae."

"I. Was. Not."

"You. So. Were."

"No."

"Yes."

"I said…NO!"

"I'm so sticking with 'yes'."

"ARRRGH, STOP IT WILL YOU?!"

"Nope, not until you admit it again."

"OKAY, IT TURNED ME ON, ALRIGHT? YOU HAPPY NOW?"

There was a shocked silence at the admission. Rachel was mortified by it while her boyfriend was absolutely ecstatic.

"You've just made me the happiest guy in the world, Rachel," said Garfield with grin.

"Well, I'm glad you're happy because I'm not."

"Huh? Why not?"

Rachel sat on the bed with a forlorn look on her face.

"Gar, because of my powers I have to be ready for all possibilities. All of them."

"Even the bad ones?"

"Especially the bad ones. What if there is no cure? What if you…go? I can't even imagine what destruction my powers can cause even when if can rein them. And that's a big 'if', Gar."

Garfield got his head out of the neck of the sweater and looked sadly at Rachel. If the girl noticed it, she did not take heed. Looking blankly at the wall, Rachel had tears in her eyes.

"I love you, Gar. I love you so much and I'm so thankful for everything you have done for me. I cannot even imagine life without you by my side. All these years…since we were kids. You were there. Always there by my side. You know I hate myself for treating you like shit for most of it. Don't give me that look, you know what I said is true. If I could go back in time and kick my own ass, I'd do it," said the girl. Her lips curled into a tiny smile as she said the last statement.

The young man was touched at his girlfriend's sincere and heartfelt words. He wanted to say something. Anything to comfort her. To tell her he loved her and that everything will turn out alright in the end. Finding no words to describe his emotions, Garfield approached his beloved and clasping his hands over hers gently pulled the girl to her feet and enveloped her in a warm embrace.

"When you touched me...there, Gar. I felt something. Something I never thought I was capable of feeling. Something which I'd never feel again if you go. I love that feeling. The feeling of wanting you. To have you. To touch you. To know that you're still here."

Though her voice was muffled against the wool of the sweater, Garfield heard every word.

"But each time I do that, I keep thinking about Sakutia, Gar. How that fucking disease could take you away from me. How helpless me and everyone else is to stop it. I don't even know what Dr Sherry wanted to see us for but it kills me to go, you know that? To be filled with hope for something that might not even be there. Just like all the other times..."

He heard her sniff and felt the warm wetness of her tears passing through the sweater as he held her. From his eyes, his own tears cascaded down his green cheeks as his own emotion overcame him.

It was not sadness.

It was not grief.

It was love. Love at its truest form. And tears were the least that the frail physical body could even comprehend to manifest. Garfield was not the sharpest tool in the shed but he knew just what to do at the moment. Right now, words were not needed.

Finally looking up to see her love, the purple-haired girl had to suppress the giggle fighting to escape her lips. Her face looked so angelic with the smile on her face and unshed tears still brimming in her eyes. Garfield could not help but smile too.

"What's so funny?" asked the changeling.

Rachel did not immediately reply. Instead, she placed her arms around his neck and gently pulled his head towards her and kissed him gently. Separating for just a moment, Rachel whispered in her own husky voice.

"You've got it the sweater on backwards, baby."

* * *

**Chapter 5!! I just wanted to do something different with the atmosphere of the story. angst is all good but i swear if it goes on, id have to kill everyone off cuz theyd be so depressed theyd just kill themselves:) nonetheless i hope the flow of the story fits in this chapter. pls give me plenty of feedback and constructive criticism so ill do better in the following chapters.**

**all in all thank you so much for reading this:D**

**-spartan585**


	6. Chapter 6

It was much harder now for Garfield. Sakutia was taking an obvious toll on his frail physique. He could no longer find the strength to even hold a glass of water let alone morph to a single animal resulting in effectively making the Titans a three-member team as Rachel relegated herself to caring for her beloved full-time.

Coughing, Garfield smiled at the empath who was feeding him some oatmeal porridge from a spoon. The two were where they always were; in their shared bedroom which used to belong to the empath. The sight that would meet anyone who happened to walk in was a pale, purple-haired young lady tending a gaunt young man with a skin complexion that spoke volumes of his dire condition.

"What did I do to deserve you, Rae?" asked the changeling appreciatively in a raspy voice.

Making a shushing noise to soothe him, Rachel gave a small smile as she wiped some porridge off her boyfriend's mouth.

"You shouldn't be the one to ask that, Gar. It should be me," whispered the young woman as she beamed sadly.

"You're joking, right? How could you possibly say that?" asked Garfield incredulously. His widening eyes made larger by his pallid-greenish face and swollen eyelids.

The empath knew that the young man was going to respond as such. Beneath Beast Boy's loud and optimistic demeanour laid a very insecure individual. It was made worse with the fact that he could no longer contribute to the team in a manner that he would have liked. Sick and bedridden, even the most cheerful person would succumb to depression after awhile.

Caressing her beloved's messy mop of hair, Rachel spoke.

"For one, I wasn't even supposed to live this long."

"Aw c'mon, Rae. That was a long time ago. Besides, did you really think we were going to just hand you over to Trigon just like that?"

"Yes."

When Garfield stared back at her in shocked silence, Rachel continued.

"Because I thought that if you knew what I was, you would not want to be my friends anymore. I am more stupid than you think I am, Gar. I let my insecurities blind me to the people that mean more to me than life itself. Even if I didn't realize it then; it has always been you who meant the most to me."

"Come here," said Garfield softly as he drew his girlfriend into a warm, comforting embrace. Cuddling in her boyfriend's arms, Rachel could not help but sob as she was overcome with emotion. At the same time, her powers resulted in a few objects in the room to levitate. Concentrating hard enough, the empath directed her powers to a harmless rocky outcrop at the bay. No harm could be done there.

"I love you, Gar. I love you so much and I don't care that I say it so many times each day. Each one I mean it from my heart," sobbed Rachel.

"I know, Rae. You show it too every single day. I'm sorry if I-…"

"Please, Gar. Don't ever apologise. Every time you do that it just breaks my heart, do you know that?"

"Sorry, Rae."

Pinching the changeling's arm lightly as a sign of mock annoyance, the purple-haired girl looked up to give her boyfriend a kiss on his nose.

"You're so cute when you do that, Rae," remarked the ailing changeling with a pained chuckle.

Rachel struggled to put on a brave smile.

"And if you want more where that came from, Green Bean, you'd better get well soon."

The bowl of oatmeal was soon forgotten as the two lovers shared a tender moment together.

* * *

"No dad, he isn't getting any better…well the symptoms have been slowed but it's just delaying the inevitable which I am not willing to accept…he is not going just like that dad…I know, it just hurts, you know. Knowing I can do little for him. He's like a brother to me."

Those were the words that Rachel heard as she paid Victor a visit in his workroom.

"…Yes dad, I understand…I- oh hey there, Raven. Dad, I gotta go. Place a rose on mom's grave for me. Thanks dad. I love you too. See you soon. Bye."

Deactivating his hands-free communicator, the cybernetic young man gave his teammate a wide smile.

"Come on in, Raven," said Victor as he gestured her in.

Nodding politely, Rachel glided into her friend's abode.

"Thank you, Vic. I apologise if I came at a bad time…"

"Nah, it's nothing. Just the latest update from my dad at STAR Labs that's all."

"And…?"

At that, Victor's easygoing smile seemed to falter a bit.

"Same old…same old…"

Giving an understanding nod, the purple-haired Titan placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.

"All of us want a speedy recovery for Gar, Victor. Progress may be slow but we will find a way. Don't give up hope just yet. He wouldn't want you to," assured Rachel as she gave Victor an encouraging smile.

The cyborg smiled back.

"Thanks, Rae. I needed that. You know, STAR Labs is the only real hope we have and being that I'm our liaison to them sometimes sucks considering I'm always the bearer of bad news."

"No one is blaming you, Victor. Especially Gar. So stop feeling like you're letting us down. You're not. In fact, I believe you've done the most in helping Gar."

"I don't think so, Raven. It's always been you."

"I may be a reason for him to keep on living. But I am not a doctor or a geneticist. Nor do I have the resources or the means to come up with concrete help. You do."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Raven."

"And neither do you."

The two stared each other down before Victor began to crack a grin causing Rachel to smirk a little. Very soon the two were chuckling at the ridiculousness of their self-depreciation.

"Good to hear you laugh li'l birdie, as rare as it seems nowadays," remarked Victor with his grin still on his face.

"Well don't get used to it. I've got a reputation to keep after all," said a smiling Rachel.

The two close friends shared a warm hug. It had been a strenuous ordeal dealing with the ongoing crisis and the few light-hearted moments which pop up once in awhile were a godsend to soothe the tortured souls of the Titans in the face of such adversity. The pleasant moment was interrupted however, as the communicators started beeping.

"Yo, what is it, Robin?"

"Guys, we've got an unidentified vessel heading straight for the island at high speed. The Coast Guard is in pursuit but they doubt that they'll be able to catch up with it in time. Take the T-ship and intercept that vessel now. Star and I are on our way to back you guys up. We're gonna take awhile though as we're at the other side of the city."

"We're on it," said Victor before switching off his communicator. "Rae, go tell Grass Stain what's happening and meet me down at the quay."

Nodding, Rachel disappeared in a swirl of black light.

* * *

"How is he?"

The question was asked as soon as the blue cloaked sorceress teleported herself in her seat in the Sub T-Ship.

"He's fine, Victor. Reminds us to be careful."

"He's one to talk," grunted the cyborg.

"Focus on the mission, Tin Can," came the deadpan reply.

"Sorry…okay gunning turbojets. Let's go."

With a thunderous roar from its twin turbojet engines, the T-ship burst forth through the waterway leading to the quay's exit and into the sunlight of Jump City Bay. Without further delay, the fast moving craft sped towards the unknown intruder.

* * *

"So they've taken the bait?"

"Hook, line and sinker, Mr Galtry."

"Excellent, initiate the next stage of our plan."

"Yes, sir."

From his seat on a bench overlooking the bay with the Tower in plain sight, Nicholas Galtry, former guardian of Garfield Mark Logan, smiled menacingly at the thought of his unraveling plans; plans that took years before finally bearing fruition.

It was time.

* * *

**Chapter 6! It has been awhile but guess what I'm still alive:) I chose this story as the first update in a renewed commitment to this site and to you readers. I apologise for the long hiatus. For a long while, my desire to write was missing in the clutter of what we call life. Well, hope this update brightens your day. As you all can see, the story is taking a dramatic turn for the worse as the Titans are going to be reminded that threats are always present from within and without. Please review and give me your thoughts. Any would be deeply appreciated.**

**Until the next update:)**

**-spartan585**


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